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Suspect pleads guilty in bizarre death of Indianapolis man

Victim's body covered in concrete
Posted at 1:48 PM, May 10, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-10 13:51:28-04

INDIANAPOLIS — It's one of the more bizarre death investigations in recent Indianapolis history.

According to the Marion County Prosecutor, 41-year-old Michael Marks was shot to death in February of last year.

His body was placed in a hole dug in an Indianapolis storage warehouse and then covered in concrete.

Now, the suspect in Marks' death is pleading guilty in the case and will be sentenced May 17.

The murder charge Jason Hancock faced is being dropped.

He is pleading guilty to "Abuse of a Corpse," "Voluntary Manslaughter," and "Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon."

Marks' body was found almost one month after the shooting, buried in the warehouse on West 29th Street.

The two men had been in an argument over some items Marks allegedly stole.

The probable cause affidavit filed in the case alleged that Hancock lured Marks into the warehouse, shot him, dug a hole inside the building, placed Marks' body in the hole and covered it with concrete — but not before stripping his clothes off and burning them.

The affidavit also says Hancock used a tool to remove Marks' teeth.

Police found the body after receiving information from a witness.

Hancock allegedly told the witness, "if anyone ever asks, tell them I did this."

An autopsy determined Marks died of a gunshot wound to the head.